App landing page design: turning a visit into a download
By Core Concepts · · Apps
An app's landing page has a narrow job. A visitor arrives from an ad, a review or a friend's link, and within a few seconds decides whether to open the store. Everything on the page should support that one decision.
Show the app on the first screen
People want to see what they are about to install. Put the app, on a phone, at the top of the page, showing its most useful screen. A device drawn in code stays sharp at any size and loads faster than an image of one. Our Murmur template renders the phone and every screen inside it in CSS.
Say the benefit, not the feature
"Six sound layers" is a feature. "Hear yourself think" is the benefit. Lead with what life is like with the app, then support it with how.
Let people try it
The strongest landing pages give a taste of the product. If the app makes sound, play sound. If it draws, let them draw. Murmur's demo plays real audio in the browser, generated live, so visitors experience the app before installing it.
Tell a short story
Rather than listing features, walk through a day or a task: morning focus, an afternoon break, winding down at night. As the visitor scrolls, the phone changes screen to match. It shows more of the app in less space, and it gives each feature a reason to exist.
Put store buttons where thumbs are
The download buttons belong on the first screen and again at the end, and on phones a small persistent button helps. Use the official App Store and Google Play badges and follow their guidelines.
Prove it with ratings and words
A rating and the number of reviews, shown near the buttons, removes doubt at the moment of decision. Add a few short quotes from real users. Never invent reviews: stores and regulators take that seriously.
Be straight about price
If the app is free with a subscription, say so and show the price. People who feel tricked at the paywall leave one-star reviews.
Answer privacy early
Say what data the app collects and whether an account is needed. "No account, no tracking" is a selling point when it is true.
Keep it light
Many visitors arrive on mobile data. Avoid heavy video, and prefer visuals drawn in code. See website animation that does not slow your site down.
A checklist
- The app, on a phone, on the first screen
- A benefit-led headline
- Something to try
- A story instead of a feature list
- Store buttons top and bottom
- Ratings and real quotes
- Clear pricing and privacy
Scroll the full Murmur demo, sound included, on its page: see Murmur.
Templates in this article
- Murmur: An app landing page where every visual is drawn in code. $79.